ANJEER HALWA

Sustainability Report: Anjeer Halwa

1. Product Overview

Anjeer Halwa is a traditional Indian dessert made primarily from dried figs (Anjeer), ghee, sugar or milk powder, and nuts like almonds. A popular recipe includes:

• 1¼ cups dried figs

• 3 tbsp ghee

• ½ cup powdered almonds

• 4 tbsp sugar

• 5 tbsp milk powder

• ¼ tsp cardamom powder Tarla Dalal

2. Environmental Impact Categories

a) Ingredient Sourcing

• Figs (Anjeer): Dried figs don’t require fresh-water-intensive cultivation; however, they are often sourced from regions (e.g., Turkey, Middle East) that may involve substantial transport emissions.

• Ghee: Production relies on dairy farming, which is a significant source of methane emissions.

• Almond Powder: Almonds are water-intensive and their farming often strains regional water supplies.

b) Energy Use in Preparation

• Cooking involves moderate energy use—traditional stovetop for about 15–20 minutes, or pressure-cooking ~5 minutes plus cooking Ministry of Currysimpleindianmeals.com.

c) Packaging & Transportation

• Packaged versions (e.g., Sukhadia’s, Khadya Fresh) may use plastic or other materials; their sustainability depends on packaging choices.

d) Nutritional vs. Environmental Tradeoff

• Nutritionally, Anjeer Halwa provides fiber, calcium, iron, vitamin C, potassium, antioxidants—beneficial compared to many other heavy-sugar Indian sweets AlphonsoMango.inTarla Dalal.

• The use of dried fruit and nuts offers better nutrient density but comes with higher resource intensity in farming and transport.

Scientific Calculation: Carbon Footprint Estimation per 100 g Serving

Step-by-step estimation (rough approximations):

1. Ingredient Emission Factors (globally averaged):

   • Almonds: ~2.2 kg CO₂e per kg

   • Ghee (dairy): ~9 kg CO₂e per kg

   • Dried figs: ~1.5 kg CO₂e per kg (includes drying & transport)

2. Quantities Used per 100 g serving:

   • Almond powder: 20 g → 0.02 kg

   • Ghee: 15 g → 0.015 kg

   • Dried figs: 60 g → 0.06 kg

3. Calculate Ingredient Emissions:

   • Almonds: 0.02 kg × 2.2 kg CO₂e/kg = 0.044 kg CO₂e

   • Ghee: 0.015 kg × 9 kg CO₂e/kg = 0.135 kg CO₂e

   • Figs: 0.06 kg × 1.5 kg CO₂e/kg = 0.09 kg CO₂e

4. Total Ingredient Emissions:
   0.044 + 0.135 + 0.090 = 0.269 kg CO₂e per 100 g serving

5. Add Energy for Cooking (approximate):

   • If cooked for 15 minutes on gas stove (~0.5 MJ), with gas emitting ~56 g CO₂ per MJ → ~28 g CO₂ (~0.028 kg CO₂e)

6. Estimated Total Carbon Footprint:
   ≈ 0.269 + 0.028 = 0.297 kg CO₂e (≈ 0.3 kg CO₂e per 100 g serving)

Sustainability Summary Table

Recommendations for Improved Sustainability

1. Ingredient Substitutions:

   • Use locally sourced figs to reduce transport emissions.

   • Replace ghee with plant-based oil (e.g., coconut) to lower methane footprint.

   • Opt for locally grown nuts or seeds with lower water demand.

2. Energy Efficiency:

   • Use energy-efficient appliances (e.g., electric induction, solar cookers).

3. Packaging:

   • Favor biodegradable or recyclable materials to minimize waste.

4. Portion Control & Waste Reduction:

   • Offer smaller portions and encourage composting of organic waste.

References

• Recipe details and ingredients: Tarla Dalal Tarla Dalal; Ministry of Curry fig-walnut version Ministry of Curry.

• Nutrition info: AlphonsoMango comparison chart and benefits AlphonsoMango.in; detailed nutrient values via Tarla Dalal’s calorie page Tarla Dalal.

• Energy/cooking method: Ministry of Curry / Simple Indian Meals for Instant Pot details Ministry of Currysimpleindianmeals.com.

Generated by: ChatGPT (AI Sustainability Analyst designed by Cleantech Mart Team)